A-Rod’s Latest Behavior Should Surprise No One

Alex Rodriguez is a clown. He is a fraud. He is a broken-down steroid user. He is a cheater. He is bad for baseball. He is downright horrible for the Yankees. And, like the 5th grade student in the back of the room who can't stop annoying the teacher, he is a bad boy with bad behavior.

So this latest episode of Tweeting that he has been cleared for rehab games by his hip doctor Bryan Kelly, when he isn't even close to rehab games and should really be cleared by HELLO, his baseball team and team doctors, should come as no surprise to anyone. The circus that is A-Rod never ends.

General Manager Brian Cashman, the guy who never wanted A-Rod back in 2007 after the drama queen opted out of his contract, told ESPNNewYork.com, "You know what, when the Yankees want to announce something, [we will]." "Alex should just shut the f--- up. That's it. I'm going to call Alex now." Cashman had enough of Rodriguez a long time ago. Now he is publicly swearing about him. That is what A-Roid has done to the franchise. Embarrassment, failure on the field (which should be bad enough) and organization staples (love or hate Cashman all you want, he is one) stressing out in public and dropping f-bombs in frustration.

This is what Hank and Hal Steinbrenner wanted. They wanted A-Rod representing the Yankees for years to come, even if it wasn't what was best for the team and the face of the franchise Derek Jeter. And so the re-upped contract came with more years and more money and more incentives. Then the steroids (twice?) and the poker games and the back pages and the lying and the troubling figures in his camp, including Tony Bosch of Biogenesis. The Steinbrenners still sit around and do nothing about it other than saying they are "disappointed in him." Well, being disappointed isn't enough.

The Steinbrenner pretty boys are still the only ones who can fix it. Their Dad would have dropped A-Rod a long time ago and eaten the money. Because even "The Boss" would have eventually figured out that Alex Rodriguez has tainted those pinstripes long enough.

By: Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," 1-4, Yankees pre/post game host on 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio. Follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/MikeLSports.